1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to machines utilized to sort documents, i.e., mail pieces such as letters, and more particularly, to a sorting machine having dual magazines located at one end for increasing sorting capacity.
2. Description of Related Art
Automated sorting machines are well known in the art for sorting large volumes of documents (e.g. letters, postcards, checks, flats, and the like) into groups having a common identifying criteria (e.g. Zip Codes, mail boxes, and so forth). A sorting machine typically comprises a front end or feeder section and one or more stacker sections, wherein the front end feeds the documents, one-by-one, past a reader (e.g. optical character reader (“OCR”), bar code reader (“BCR”), or the like) to a transport that carries it to a designated sort pocket in one or more stacker sections.
As the document passes the reader, the desired criteria on the document is read and a signal is generated that, in turn, is processed to generate a designation signal for that particular document. This designation signal, in turn, triggers a diverter or gate at the designated pocket in the stacker section as the document approaches to divert the piece from the transport into the designated pocket where it is stacked with other pieces having the same identifying criteria. Such machines are well known and are commercially available e.g., Vsort® Fiat Sorting machine, NP8000™ Sorting machine, both manufactured and distributed by National Presort, Inc., Dallas, Tex.
Many present sorting machines are comprised of a plurality of vertically stacked tiers of sort pockets which increase the number of pockets available during the sorting operation without substantially increasing the machine's foot print (floor area required for the machine). With these types of sorting machines, the letters are read and directed by a Level Distribution Unit or elevator system to the particular tier on which its respective sort pocket is located. For example, if the sorting machine has four tiers, only approximately 25% of the letters being fed will go to each tier. This means that approximately 75% of the sort capacity of each tier goes unutilized. It can be seen that if the unused capacity on each tier can be reduced, the throughput of the machine can be significantly increased.
Although the foregoing developments represent strides in the area of sorting machines, many shortcomings remain.
While the sorting machine and method of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the process of the present application as defined by the appended claims.